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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29504394">Fools</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/we_only_post_trash_here/pseuds/we_only_post_trash_here'>we_only_post_trash_here</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ren and Akira are twins AU (because I'm original) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Confusing, Gen, I Don't Even Know, Persona 5 Protagonist is from Inaba, Persona 5 Spoilers, Unreliable Narrator, persona 5 protagonist has a twin, this makes no sense, well i mean whatever spoiler here is common knowledge at this point i guess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:54:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,825</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29504394</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/we_only_post_trash_here/pseuds/we_only_post_trash_here</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He knew for a fact that dead people shouldn’t be able to open their eyes</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ren and Akira are twins AU (because I'm original) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1437700</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Fools</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>English is not my first language, this has grammatical mistakes</p>
<p>You know what's the deal</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He knew for a fact that dead people shouldn’t be able to open their eyes.</p>
<p>Yet here he was, eyes wide open looking at a scenery that wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if it wasn’t for the fact that he <em>was somehow alive</em>; he was sitting on a chair in front of what he assumed was a kitchen table, a plate full of chicken karaage and a small bowl of rice placed neatly on what seemed to be his spot in the table and, to make things even more confusing, was surrounded by people he did not recognize: a slender woman with black hair tied into a loose ponytail, her most distinct feature were her bright red eyes. The other person was a man that looked pretty average (not like he would know how an average person would look like), however his deep gray eyes were ones that showed almost no emotion.</p>
<p>While examining his surrounding, he didn’t fail to noticed how the woman looked at him with certain degrees of concern. She opened her mouth with the intention of voicing her worries, but stopped when another movement at his right caught her attention. Before he could react, or even be aware of whatever was by his side, a small hand holding a pair of chopsticks took one of his chicken karaage. He moved his head to have a better look at the person he failed to notice before and his eyes widened even more if it was possible.</p>
<p>A small kid with fluffy black hair and deep gray eyes that weren’t soulless like those of the man he saw before was sitting right next to him, eating the piece of food he just stole from him. Mischievous grin and an almost soundless chuckle escaped his lips while he enjoyed the small price he claimed for himself.</p>
<p>If the whole situation didn’t feel as surreal as it was, he would feel angry</p>
<p>The woman sighed. “Ren, what did I tell you about taking his food?”. She sounded somewhat tired, as if this was an occurrence that happened every so often.</p>
<p>“That I’m allowed to do it”. The little kid, whose name apparently was Ren, said playfully.</p>
<p>She sighed again. “No, you are not honey”. She took hers and the man’s plate, put them in the sink and then proceed to wash them. The man took this as his cue to leave and only he and the little kid remained in the table.</p>
<p>The kid took another piece of his chicken and in a whisper he said to him. “I know you hate these”- he placed it inside of his mouth and chewed it happily. He didn’t even swallow it before speaking again- “Don’t worry Akira, I’ve got you covered”.</p>
<p>Akira moved his plate closer to him and Ren finished everything that was on it in matter of seconds.</p>
<p>He heard something that sounded like a sigh of resignation coming from the other side of the kitchen, but Akira was way too preoccupied thinking about how he was currently alive, how he just had dinner with his family and how his twin brother was literally devouring the remains of his dinner when he was supposed to be a stillborn.</p>
<p>Akira became aware of few things, but the one he paid more attention to was the passage of time. It was slow yet fast, some events that could be considered mundane situations and everyday things went rapidly while others were gradual; with this information he knew which occurrences were important and worth remembering.</p>
<p>He also noticed that everything revolved around Ren. It felt like his brother was more like the protagonist of <em>his </em>life than he himself, which had to mean something. Being conscious of all this made him pay more attention to Ren, to follow him and see him develop his story. After all, he has to make sure Ren get arrested and sent to Tokyo on probation so he could-</p>
<p>
  <em>But do you really want to do that? </em>
</p>
<p>Akira wasn’t so sure of the voices he heard inside his mind sometimes; telling him to live his own life, to enjoy the little things, to focus more on himself…and every time his brother’s probation came to mind those words would also appear. He knows that he is not supposed to be alive, he’s not supposed to be here; he also knows that Ren shouldn’t be this happy. Akira saw him suffer, saw him struggle, saw him change and become a better image of himself and this was a change that benefited society as well.</p>
<p>As much as it hurts him to admit, Ren shouldn’t play with him every day, Ren shouldn’t defend him of the classmates he knows he shouldn’t have that bully him, Ren shouldn’t smile at him, bicker with him, get angry at him, love him.</p>
<p>Because Akira isn’t supposed to exist</p>
<p>
  <em>Are you sure that’s the truth?</em>
</p>
<p>But then again, he was having trouble differentiating what is real and what is not, he wasn’t sure if him being alive was the truth and him being dead was just a delusion that lasted no more than two seconds, he wasn’t sure if Ren’s journey was no more than a mere dream…</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure if <em>this </em>was a dream</p>
<p>
  <em>Dreams do really come true, don’t they?</em>
</p><hr/>
<p>Looking at the mirror was something he avoided.</p>
<p>Maybe it was the unusual red he inherited from his mother, maybe the dark bags under his eyes that made a noticeable contrast on his pale face or maybe said paleness. If he didn’t know better (and he can’t say he does) he should be worried about looking like a ghost because he’s 100% sure human skin cannot be devoid of color the same way his is. Aside of looking more dead than alive, it’s also the fact that his face is an exact copy of Ren’s, which shouldn’t be that surprising considering they are identical twins.</p>
<p>He supposes he would look better if he was actually alive; as much as he wants to convince himself he <em>is</em>, there’s a part of him that tells him it is not real, that there’s no way he’s part of this world. Maybe it’s the feeling of something being amiss, maybe it’s the memories that feel more fabricated than anything, maybe it was the images of a life he couldn’t live himself but Ren did, a life where only misfortune fell upon him</p>
<p>Because he remembers loud screams and quiet curses that could be heard in their parent’s room during the night, he remembers the lies and accusations that weren’t directed at him, he remembers the train, the glasses, the coffee shop, the school, the palaces…he remembers the story where he wasn’t the protagonist but just a simple spectator.</p>
<p>Then why? Why was he living inside this house? Why was he going to school? Why was he being loved by his parents? By his brother?</p>
<p>
  <em>Why? Why? <strong>Why?</strong></em>
</p>
<p>“Aki-chan?”. A voice and soft knock on what he assumed was a door brought him back to reality. He noticed he was inside the bathroom and was looking at his reflection on the mirror.</p>
<p>Well, that explains where the spiral of confusion and thoughts came from</p>
<p>He opened the door and found his mother standing right outside; she wore a worried expression that he wished it wasn’t directed at him</p>
<p>“Is everything alright, Aki-chan?”- his mother asked- “You’ve been there for quite a while”</p>
<p>As much as he wanted to say that he was indeed fine, he’s aware that she would know it was a lie. He’s not stupid, he’s aware of “mother instincts” after all. Though, he briefly wondered how much time did he spend inside the bathroom to trigger some kind of alarm inside of her.</p>
<p>“Akira?”. With the nickname dropped and the change in her expression, Akira knew it was time for giving an answer. He probably looked like an idiot just standing there without saying anything.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m fine mother”- he tried to give a reassuring smile, but he knows that won’t work- “I was a little bit dizzy so I came here to refresh myself”. As much as he tried to look calmed on the outside, he on the inside was screaming because, and let’s be real, there’s no way she will believe that poor excuse of his. Refreshing himself? Really? That sounded so stupid and so wrong in so many ways, he wasn’t surprised by the unamused look she gave him</p>
<p>A little part of himself told him that he shouldn’t worry, that he didn’t live enough to learn how to give a credible lie; though, that doesn’t makes him feel any better</p>
<p>“Refreshing yourself? Your face seems pretty dry to me”- he wanted to tell her that he dried it with a towel but before words could leave his mouth she raised her hand, indicating him to stop- “And mother? I know you are the one with manners, but you haven’t addressed me like that before”</p>
<p>It’s weird how he doesn’t know enough about himself to know that. Shouldn’t find it surprising though, considering a lot of things he’s really tired of repeating to himself at this point. There was no reason for him to really lie anymore, so he just decided to tell that he was looking at himself, wondering why his face was so pale. It somehow sounded so normal that the grim expression that suddenly appeared on her made him ponder if telling the truth was actually a good idea.</p>
<p>She sighed and told him to follow her, which ended with both of them sitting on the living room couch. Akira noticed how sad she looked and how her hands were trembling. As much as he wanted to tell her that she should forget about what he just told her, but at the same time she may tell him something he needs to know, something that may explain why this is happening, why this is so weird. So he would give her time, all the time she needs to collect herself and tell him what she wants him to know.</p>
<p>“My pregnancy was a difficult one”- she started- “At the beginning, doctors only found one of you, I think it was Ren-chan…or was it you? I don’t really remember”. She gave a humorless laugh. “After they noticed there were actually two of you, it was too late to go through an abortion without putting my life in danger. The doctors even told me to be prepared for one of you only…because the other would be a stillborn”</p>
<p>Akira wasn’t so sure of what to think about all of this, if it even was relevant but he let her continue</p>
<p>“The day finally came and what the doctors said was true, Ren-chan came out healthy and full of energy”- her lips curved a upwards a little, as if the memory was truly a treasured one- “I swear, his cries could have actually been heard throughout the hospital. You on the other hand…”. She stopped and covered her eyes, Akira could tell she didn’t want him to see her crying. “You were so still and quiet, the doctors knew you didn’t make it. I <em>knew</em> you didn’t make it…and it seems Ren-chan knew you didn’t make it”</p>
<p>He looked at her confused; how was it possible that a baby, a<em> newborn</em>, would even know that?. His mother looked at him and, through the tears, she smiled. “The moment the nurses told me, Ren-chan started crying even louder than before. The doctors were worried something was wrong with him, so worried they didn’t noticed the small sound that came out of you. The nurse who was holding you was surprised but quick to act so she put you on oxygen and inside an incubator as fast as she could. It wasn’t until they put the two of you together that your brother stopped crying”.</p>
<p>She sighed. “But none of that matters now, does it?”- she tried her best to wipe her tears away- “After all, both of you are here…alive and healthy”</p>
<p>There was something in her words, or more like the way she said them, that made them sound as if she was trying to convince herself of that fact, as if she was trying to convince herself that both of her sons were alive and well.  </p>
<p>“Dreams do really come true, don’t they, Aki-chan?”</p>
<p>He didn’t give an answer and just nodded. Something about that sentence felt ominous enough for him to not bother into giving an answer. Dreams, huh? It felt weird thinking about it, how everything until now felt like nothing but a long dream from where he can’t wake up…</p>
<p>Akira briefly wonders if, just maybe, he is…</p><hr/>
<p>There was a sudden shift on this peaceful routine that Akira really didn’t see coming.</p>
<p>It begins with Ren’s sudden change in personality: becoming more introverted, leaving his room only when it is necessary and giving him looks full of suspicion and paranoia. As much as Akira wanted to feel offended by the latter, he couldn’t help but think that something was definitely up.</p>
<p>Even if he himself doubted that all of this “life” was real, he concluded that it was his role as Ren’s brother to know what was wrong with him. He knocked softly on the door, not expecting to be opened if he was being honest; to his surprise, however, it was and he was greeted with Ren’s uncharacteristically pale face.</p>
<p>“Uhm…Are you ok?’. He can’t say he’s good at starting any kind of conversation so he decides to go for the ‘straight to the point’ approach. Ren gives him a glare that very clearly tells him he wants to be left alone. Despite that, he still is willing to try get more out of him.</p>
<p>“You’ve been acting weird lately so I wonder if you were okay? You know you can tell me anything right?”. He said with a smile, thinking that if he acts friendly enough, Ren might tell him what’s wrong. This, however seemed to have backfired because his brother did nothing more than look at him with something akin to pure hatred.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to hear that from someone that doesn’t even exist” he said through gritted teeth and closed the door forcefully, leaving Akira standing there confused. He sighed and thought that today may not be a good day, so maybe he can’t try again tomorrow…</p>
<p>…however, tomorrow never came for Ren.</p>
<p>He became very aware of the signs and paranoia his brother was showing too late, he knows that after opening the door to Ren’s room, after seeing his body cast a shadow on the untouched floor, after noticing the rope, the beam, the screams and the open eyes.</p>
<p>And this is when he came to the very obvious realization that this is in fact not real, that this is not happening, that this is nothing but a cruel joke, nothing but a horrible dream.</p>
<p>Just as the realization sinks in, the would around him disappears and its changed for a black space filled with nothing but silence. Despite this, Akira cant say he’s scared, quite the contrary, this is what he was waiting for, to be released from that fake world filled with fake replicas of his family. He knew all along everything was a lie, he knew all along he was just sitting playing house because he allowed himself to and he hates the fact that ,despite knowing, he never tried to break out of it.</p>
<p>He wont lie, for the longest time he thought it could be real, he thought that maybe the life he lost was nothing but a nightmare while this whole thing was the truth; but he knew that Ren would never do that to himself, would never take what he was given just that easy. That’s how he could tell that this was nothing more than…</p>
<p>“An awful dream indeed”. He heard a voice behind him and turned around. Behind him was a small girl, with long platinum hair, golden eyes and a blue dress accompanied with a headband with butterfly ornaments on each side. Despite thinking that he should be wary of her, Akira can’t help but find her presence soothing, as if her being here will bring the answers he’s looking for.</p>
<p>The girl smiles and says “It took me quite a while to pull you of there, seems that being dead didn’t make my job any easier”- she sighed, though her smile never leaving-“We have a lot to talk about, but before that, there is something I must ask you”</p>
<p>Her face suddenly turnes serious, making him realize the severity of his current situation. “My dear Trickster, Ren Amamiya, is trapped inside of a dream. Will you help him get out?”</p>
<p>Akira only smiled and nodded.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So! It's been almost a year since I started this fic and look at me! Ignoring it all the way through! lmao I hate everything</p>
<p>Anyway to keep it short: this was meant to be ready before Royal came out since it was written with my theories and speculations of the game but that never happened so I decided to forget about it but you see...this fic has ben haunting my dreams ever sisnce I dropped it so I thought "might as well finish it!" but turns out I forgot the plot and what I wanted to do with it so too bad I'll give you shitty fanfic with a shitty ending<br/>Sorry about all this but this is something I really want to leave behind me so yeh...</p>
<p>I had planned a fourth fic to conclude this series but ofc that's not happenning so with this I say my goodbyes and see you next time!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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